


The Difference

by Davechicken



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 12:23:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9323402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Davechicken/pseuds/Davechicken
Summary: Chirrut asks a question.





	

_I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me._

_The Force is with me, and I am one with the Force._

The words repeat, sung back and forth, a prayer and a rejoicing and a submission and acceptance in one. _All is as the Force wills it_.

“But what is the difference?” comes a voice that Baze is growing to know so well.   


He is teaching the younger Guardians, and this one is almost his age. Baze is not one of the senior Guardians, but he’s trusted to hold these sessions, leading meditation and thoughtfulness.

He’s probably not supposed to answer questions, because… well. What if he answers incorrectly?

“What?” he pushes back.  


“Why do we say it both ways?” the young man asks, his sightless face turned towards him.   


“Because…” That’s how we do it. “It means different things.” Baze feels the truth of it, the moment before he says it. “Even though the words are the same, and only the place of ‘and’ is different, it means different things.”  


Everyone in the room shuffles. Chirrut (that’s his name, right?) has a habit of making everyone think deeper. Baze likes the challenge of it, but he also worries that maybe he’ll be found out? He doesn’t know _everything_. But… is there even things to know, or just to think? (Isn’t that the _point_?)

“The focus shifts between you, and the Force,” Chirrut muses. “It reinforces that we are equal, by showing that the statements are not?”  


“In one, it is what you are. In the other, it is what the Force is,” Baze agrees. “One makes your existence the key, and the other…”  


“Makes the Force the key, even though it means the same thing.”  


Except it doesn’t, and it does, and that’s the beauty of it. You cannot be one with the Force without self-abnegation, but you also cannot _be_ if you are not self-determining. Yes. He likes that.

“My thanks,” Chirrut says, his hands moving over his staff. “I will think deeply on this.”  


Yes, Baze thinks, so will he. 

_I am one with the Force._

_The Force is with me._

_I am one with the Force._

_The Force is with me._

Remove the **and** , and it’s something else entirely.

Baze decides he likes the and. It needs to be there. Both ways.


End file.
